Benefits of Singing

Relieves stress: Singing appears to be a stress reliever. One study found that the amount of cortisol was lower after singing, an indication that people felt more relaxed after they’d belted out a tune. There’s a small catch, though: Cortisol only goes down if you’re singing in a place that doesn’t make you anxious.

Stimulates the immune response: There’s some evidence that singing may boost your immune system and help you fight off illnesses. Those who sang showed higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody your body secretes to help you fend off infections. Listening to music (without singing along) reduced stress hormones but didn’t stimulate the body’s immune system.

Increases pain threshold: When you sing in a group, whether it’s a large choir or a smaller group, the act of collective singing causes your body to release endorphins. This hormone can help promote positive feelings and even change your perception of pain. Researchers note that the feelings of social connection, rather than the music itself, seem to be behind the boost in pain tolerance.

May improve snoring: Regular singing may change the way you breathe, even when you’re not singing. The researchers found that significantly fewer choir members snored. This led them to recommend regular singing as a potential treatment for snoring. Studies have also shown that people who play wind instruments snore less than the general population.

Improves lung function: Because singing involves deep breathing and the controlled use of muscles in the respiratory system, it may be beneficial for certain lung and breathing conditions. While singing doesn’t treat or cure any of these conditions, you may benefit from gaining strength in your respiratory muscles. Research shows that singing also increases the amount of oxygen in your blood. In addition to the pulmonary benefits, singers experience improved mood and a greater sense of social connection.

Develops a sense of belonging and connection: When you sing together with others, you’re likely to feel the same kind of camaraderie and bonding that players on sports teams experience. One of the neurochemicals released when people feel bonded together is oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. Spontaneous, improvised singing causes your body to release this feel-good hormone, which may help give you a heightened sense of connectedness and inclusion.

Enhances memory in people with dementia: People with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia experience a gradual loss of memory. Studies have shown that people with these conditions were able to recall song lyrics more easily than other words. However, the singers found they remembered more than just the lyrics. For some, singing familiar songs suddenly brought back life memories they’d forgotten, too. Researchers found that singing songs learned at a younger age caused a spontaneous return of autobiographical details for many people.

Helps with grief: Singing in a group doesn’t just help you with physical pain; it may also help with the emotional pain you feel after you’ve lost someone you love.

Helps improve speaking abilities: Decades ago, scientists began researching the effects of singing among people who have a hard time with speech due to a neurological condition. Singing stimulates multiple areas of the brain at the same time. This may enable people with an impairment in one part of the brain to communicate using other areas of their brain. Singing can also prolong the sounds in each word, which may make it easier to pronounce them.